The other day, I was asked by an acquaintance to help them choose a bicycle, so I accompanied them to a certain bicycle chain store.

Looking at it again, I realized that "you can't buy a good road bike at a bicycle chain store."

There are many bicycle shops nationwide, and some shops are very diligent and offer good service.

You might feel that it's rude to flat-out say "you can't buy a good road bike."

I will share why I came to this conclusion after visiting several stores independently and interviewing a manager of a bicycle chain store whom I know.

Please use this as a reference so you don't make a mistake when you want to buy a good road bike.

Advantages of a local bicycle chain store

If everything was bad, the store wouldn't be able to continue to exist.

Naturally, there are good points.

First, I'd like to tell you about the good points of local bicycle chain stores.

Bicycle chain stores are found in every town, and they are very cheap and convenient when buying city bikes (so-called "mamachari").

The spacious stores offer a wide variety of bicycles in terms of quantity and type, ranging from inexpensive to high-priced.

And for minor repairs like flat tires, you can bring it in and get it fixed since the store is open from around 11 AM to 8 PM.

When you need to add a basket or child seat, they have them in stock, and it's nice that they can respond immediately if you ask.

Some shops refuse to repair flat tires if puncture sealant has been used.

However, chain stores readily accept them, which is a significant advantage.

The reality of local bicycle chain stores

While bicycle chain stores are very convenient and helpful, it seems that most stores have fewer than three full-time employees.

Others are handled by part-time staff.

One of the problems is "lack of knowledge among the staff."

I'm not saying all staff members lack knowledge.

Bicycle assembly and repairs are mainly done by full-time employees, so the layout typically has full-time employees in the repair area and part-time staff handling customer service.

That's where the pitfall lies.

Part-time staff do not receive special training, so their knowledge of bicycles is minimal.

If bicycles were a product where it didn't matter much which one you chose, that layout wouldn't be wrong.

Therefore, it is suitable for buying city bikes and the like.

However, road bikes, which require proper knowledge at the time of purchase and where an ongoing relationship with the bike shop is definitely advantageous, are not suitable for purchase at these bicycle chain stores.

To choose the right bicycle for you, you need to consider its purpose, such as commuting to work or school, or shopping, and select one taking into account your height and weight.

Furthermore, you need to carefully consider the shape, color, pattern, manufacturer, and price before making a choice.

In the case of part-time staff, unless they receive extensive training, they typically won't even ask such questions.

Normally, they don't consider whether the bicycle matches the customer or their usage, and simply sell what the customer chooses based on their feeling.

Full-time employees are responsible for attaching pedals for customers and performing the final finishing touches for shipment.

Another problem is the case where "full-time employees and part-time staff are not particularly interested in bicycles themselves."

A bicycle shop is, of course, a business, so you don't necessarily have to love bicycles to work there. However, people who love bicycles will naturally acquire various knowledge, and they will likely empathize with customers' concerns as if they were their own.

They provide high-quality service.

Especially for part-time staff, if they love road bikes, they would likely work at a road bike specialty store if their goal is road bikes.

Most part-time staff at general sales stores simply like bicycles.

The third problem is that, since it's a business, "expensive bicycles that are not common are not kept in stock" at the store.

Many inexpensive bicycles arrive semi-finished from overseas.

When selling, it's mostly about inflating the tires and securing the handlebars and saddle in their correct positions.

Some places ship with the brakes loosely tightened, so sometimes adjustments are needed.

The finishing touches are just attaching the pedals and arranging for theft registration.

The shorter the time bicycles are stocked in the store, the better the cash flow.

Therefore, selling 100 inexpensive bicycles is more profitable for the store than selling one expensive one.

As far as I observed from visiting stores, the most expensive bicycle at each store was around 100,000 yen.

However, truly good ones are more expensive and come with a corresponding price tag.

Ultimately, good road bikes are not even stocked in these stores.

Specialized bicycles and specialized parts are rarely available at chain stores.

Where can you buy a good road bike?

If you want to buy a good road bike, I recommend purchasing it at a road bike specialty store.

Road bike specialty stores often stock many road bikes and have knowledgeable staff.

They are also quite detailed about repairs and adjustments, and can often answer specialized questions or vague questions about what to do.

Unfortunately, there aren't many road bike specialty stores.

The selection is also limited, so online shopping offers more choices.

By the way, the completed bicycle I recommended to my acquaintance was this one.

Above all, it's light because it's made of carbon.

Since he would be using it for a 3km commute, I recommended a mini velo that could be easily loaded into a car if anything happened.

Since he's a bicycle enthusiast, the disc brakes also seemed to be a big plus for him.